Mental Health

BJA supports a variety of programs and activities aimed at improving the criminal justice system's response to people with mental illness.

Evaluation Information and ToolsBJA's Center for Program Evaluation and Performance Management maintains a user-friendly online evaluation and performance measurement tool designed to assist state and local criminal justice planners, practitioners, State Administrative Agencies, researchers, and evaluators in: 1) conducting evaluations and performance measurement that will address the effectiveness and efficiency of their projects and 2) using evaluation information to improve program planning and implementation. Visit the Center for Program Evaluation and Performance Management site to learn more.

ResearchThe National Institute of Justice (NIJ) -- the research, development and evaluation agency of the U.S. Department of Justice -- is dedicated to improving knowledge and understanding of crime and justice issues through science. NIJ provides objective and independent knowledge and tools to reduce crime and promote justice, particularly at the state and local levels. Access the NIJ site for further information and access to research materials.

StatisticsOJP's Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) collects, analyzes, publishes, and disseminates information on crime, criminal offenders, victims of crime, and the operation of justice systems at all levels of government. These data are critical to federal, state, and local policymakers in combating crime and ensuring that justice is both efficient and evenhanded. See the BJS site for a ccess to data on a variety of topics.

New Consensus Project Web Site LaunchedThe Council of State Governments Justice Center has recently updated its Consensus Project web site. Please visit the web site today to learn more about their work related to criminal justice and mental health programs, including information on the BJA's Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program grantees.

The Office of Justice Programs has released the FY 2015 Program Plan, in a new, easy-to-use format to help you find the appropriate funding sources for your initiatives. The criminal and juvenile justice fields have made significant progress over the last 3 years in instituting smart-on-crime practices and in applying science to crime-fighting. This year’s Plan preserves OJP’s overall programmatic priorities: supporting our state and local partners in fighting violent crime; promoting research and evidence-based approaches; expanding reentry; strengthening victim services; and supporting tribes.

The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) has released "Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program, 2014," which describes steps used in the JAG formula calculation process to determine award amounts for states, local governments, and territories. The report presents summary results of the FY 2014 allocation amounts.

BJA is excited to release the recently updated BJA State and Territory Fact Sheets. The enhanced web site features updated state and territory statistics related to BJA investments, Byrne JAG Program highlights, crime trends, and other criminal justice information. In addition to the web site, each state has an easily accessible PDF version of the fact sheet and detailed funding information that can be used for distribution. BJA hopes these fact sheets will continue to be useful to criminal justice agencies, as they can easily obtain and reference criminal justice data across the nation for a variety of purposes.

In keeping with President Obama’s Digital Government Strategy, the Justice Department’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) recently published an application programming interface (API) that provides access to 20 years of OJP Grant Awards Data (1993–2013) in open, machine-readable formats, including current-year grant awards data that is updated daily.

Front-End Diversion Initiative
A preadjudication diversion program designed to divert juveniles with mental health needs away from the juvenile justice system through specialized supervision and case management.

Taking Charge
A solution-focused, cognitive-behavioral brief group intervention designed to help pregnant and parenting female students stay in school.

Preventive Treatment Program
A prevention program aimed at disruptive kindergarten boys and their parents, with the goal of reducing short- and long-term antisocial behavior.

Connections
A juvenile court-based program designed to address the needs of juvenile offenders on probation who have emotional and behavioral disorders and the needs of their families. The approach is meant to be an integrated, seamless, coordinated system of care for children with mental health problems.

Spit Tobacco Intervention for Athletes
An education program about the dangers of addiction and long-term use of using spit (smokeless) tobacco. It is targeted at young male athletes—especially baseball players—who use or are at risk of using spit tobacco.

Information Sharing in Criminal Justice-Mental Health Collaborations: Working with HIPAA and Other Privacy Laws, (NCJ 232102), Bureau of Justice Assistance, 2010. This guide addresses barriers to cross-systems information sharing while complying with legal privacy mandates. It describes how HIPAA and 42 CFR Part 2 (privacy regulations related to substance use treatment) may affect exchanges among behavioral health care, law enforcement, courts, jail and prison, and probation and parole professionals. It reviews the circumstances under which protected health information can be released and received, and offers answers to scenario-based frequently asked questions.
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Law Enforcement Responses to People with Mental Illnesses: A Guide to Research-Informed Policy and Practice, (NCJ 226965), Bureau of Justice Assistance, May 2009. This guide examines studies on law enforcement interactions with people with mental illnesses and translates the findings to help policymakers and practitioners develop safe and effective interventions.
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Improving Responses to People With Mental Illnesses: Strategies for Effective Law Enforcement Training, (NCJ 224332), Bureau of Justice Assistance, 2008.
This training resource guide synthesizes the key lessons learned by several jurisdictions that have developed training for police officers in managing people with mental illnesses.
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Statewide Law Enforcement/Mental Health Efforts: Strategies to Support and Sustain Local Initiatives, (NCJ 240786), BJA-Sponsored, 2013. This report examines how states have developed structures and standards to make police encounters with people with mental illnesses safer for all involved and to produce better mental health and criminal justice system outcomes. The report offers a starting point for policymakers, practitioners, and others interested in planning or enhancing a statewide initiative that will support such local-level specialized policing responses as crisis intervention and law enforcement/mental health co-response teams.
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Drivers with Alzheimer's Disease: 10 Warning Signs/10 Steps for Interacting, This resource is designed to help law enforcement identify, interact with, and help drivers who suffer from dementia.
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Identifying and Helping a Driver With Alzheimer's Disease: Tips for Law Enforcement and Motorist Assist Workers, This resource is designed to help law enforcement and those who assist motorists identify, interact with, and help drivers who suffer from dementia.
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